The First Archmage

(Gavin)

"Nies?"

Yes?

"Would you be willing to show up here?"

My presence into the mortal realms isn't a common thing. I don't do it lightly.

"What if I said Gavin was here?"

I can't see him.

"You will," I say. "And then you'll understand what was going on."

Michael and Warren look confused as hell. Especially when a trio of live tigers appear, a god sitting on one of them, looking annoyed.

"So where is he?" Nies asks. "I can't see him anywhere."

"Yes, you can," I say. "Did you ever ask your girlfriend what her gift to me was?"

"To you?" He asks. "Why would she give you a gift?"

"Formshift: True," I say, and all four of them widen their eyes as my body shifts. One of the tigers snorts. "Hello, Nies."

"You-you-you!" Nies stammers. "How did you-you knew I was-wh-wh-wha?"

"Hello, Nies," I smile at him, then look at Michael and Warren. "Michael, Warren. Your stats have gotten pretty high, since we last met. Noah – would you mind giving me my ring back?"

Noah continues to stare at me.

"How did you change forms?" He asks.

"A Skill Nies's girlfriend gave me," I answer. "The ring?"

"Right," he reaches under his shirt and pulls off his necklace, handing it to me.

I slip the ring off the cord, then strip off my gi, shoving them into the ring before pulling out my regular attire and pulling it on.

"Did you really have to strip in front of us?" Noah asks.

"I enjoyed the show," Michael comments, then clamps his hands over his mouth.

"We're all men here," I say, then look at Nies. "Except for you, you're a kid."

"Hey!" He exclaims. "I'm older than this world! And I'm mad at you!"

"For how long?" I ask, and he opens his mouth to say something, then thinks. "Sorry I fooled you, Nies, however, you have to admit that I was on a destructive path. I used the Skill your girlfriend gave me, after I discovered it, to distance myself from everything. I had to give myself time to calm down. When I realized the monks trained in discipline and focus, I thought it best for me to do that. Sorry for taking so long to return, Nies. Part of my massive offering when the altar was completed was part of my apology. I hope you can forgive me, as well as when factoring in that I arranged it so that you'd gain hundreds – even thousands – of followers, plus the creation of an altar and a shrine."

"Marty did that," Nies tries to look smug with his logic.

"I'm Marty," I tell him. "Nice try, Nies."

"Well-"

"You'll forgive me," I say. "You mentioned you wanted to give me a birthday present?"

"I'm mad at you," he tries to ignore me, looking away with his arms crossed.

"So," I look at Michael and Warren. "Welcome. I was planning on shifting back soon, to let Nies know, and then going and doing something. After that, I was going to stop by and see how you were all doing. Then, stop by the Fairies' Forest to learn from Oberon Spirit Magics."

"When?" Michael asks.

"I was going to reveal it in a week," I answer. "If Formshift hadn't gone up a moment ago. It's the Skill I used. It's not normally available to humans, but Ultarna gave it to me. She snuck it into my list without a notification, as a reward for helping her with a thing involving her own people."

"And before you came to us?" Michael asks.

"After I dealt with the other issue," I answer. "It's time-sensitive, or I'd have planned on going to you first. We probably have six months before it absolutely has to be dealt with. Did you get the dragon's blood essence to your friend?"

"Yeah," Michael nods. "Thanks."

"I forgot to give it to you before," I tell him. "Remembered when I was dropping His Majesty off to the Dungeon that would take him to you, so gave it to him."

"Max was happy," he says. "He can attempt three of the potion. Probably already has. Why didn't you say anything to us?"

"I needed no one to know," I answer. "I had to clear my mind by myself, focus myself. I couldn't do that knowing others were worried and stuff."

"But we-"

"I meant," I say. "Because I put myself essentially to zero. You guys know that Divine are angry with me, you'd want to be around, keeping me safe. I couldn't put that on you, especially since it'd stem my ability to focus myself."

"What's this other thing you need to do?" Michael asks.

"You two head to the Fairies' Forest," I say. "Warren, you know how to get there, right?"

"Yeah," he nods.

"Tell your father," I say. "That I'll be stopping by for our meeting after I deal with this thing. I'm not putting you two in harm's way, even if you're as powerful as you are, now.

"Noah," I put a hand on his shoulder. "Remember what I told you, when we first met, okay?"

He nods.

"Do well," I say, then step back and look between the three of them, before looking at the pouting god. "Oh, stop that, Nies. If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at your girlfriend – she's the one who gave me that Skill."

The tiger's he on starts laughing, and Nies pretends to be mad at him.

"And if I discover where I can find this 'cotton candy' thing," I tell him. "I'll make sure to give you an offering of it, if able, to make it up to you."

"Okay," he huffs. "I guess I can't be mad at you. You haven't really aged much, you don't look much older. Even with Formshift, you should've aged normally."

"Aren't my stats causing me to look younger than I am?"

"Yeah, you stupid shota," he mutters. "Well, I guess Warren's the real shota."

"The what?"

"Nothing," he mutters, then vanishes, along with his tigers.

"Well," I look at the trio in front of me. "That happened. Again, I'm sorry for not telling the two of you about it, and I hope you can understand my reasoning. Do you mind if I left to do my thing?"

"We'll help you," Michael says.

"I'm going into Jozan," I say. "To kill an ancient and powerful Archdemon. I can handle it, but I'd rather not risk my team being killed. How is Tyler doing?"

"He's well," Michael answers.

"And Kivu?'

"Kivuli?" Warren asks. "I didn't know there were any Fairies of his type still alive. He's strong. The two of them are a dangerous pair."

"Has Tyler finally forgiven him?" I ask.

"They've come to a mutual understanding," Michael snorts, then a moment later, tackles me in a hug and starts rubbing his face against mine. "You jerk! I can't believe you did that to us!"

He verbally berates me while showing me lots of affection, and I think Noah is completely and entirely confused by this conflicting display.

"At least you're not licking me like a dog," I say, and Michael bops me on the head.

I stick my tongue out at him, and he turns around to face Warren, his tail swishing from side to side.

"I think-" Michael starts, then yelps, jerking away and giving me death glares, his hands behind him.

"Sorry!" I exclaim. "It's been so hard to resist doing that, I couldn't help it!"

"Jeez," he says. "Papa was right, when he said someone was going to do that, someday. I never thought it'd be you, though!"

"Sorry, Michael," I say. "It was just so hard to resist, and then… sorry."

He sighs, then smiles at me.

"I like you too much to stay mad at you," he says. "Sure, it's been what, almost two years? Everything is still there."

"I can tell," I tell him, and he gives me a confused look. "Let's head back into town."

"How will you explain us going in with Marty, but leaving with you?" Noah asks.

"I showed up and sent Marty off on business for Nies, on an important quest."

I start walking, and the boys follow me. Everyone gives me strange looks as we walk through town, and I pay for a room for us to spend the night in. More than a few people ask us about Marty, but their awe and respect pulls them away from me when they realize I'm the Hero Nies assigned Marty to locate.

And by that, I mean that they maintain a sort of perimeter around me, not drawing too close. They are in too much awe and respect at the being who acquired the Blessing of their new god.

Speaking of…

Has he had enough followers now to have boosted my Blessing?

Blessing of Nies: Completing most Quests, exempting some, such as Blood Quests, grants double Experience. Completing any Quest grants +1 LIF, +3 Experience to Class of Choice, +3 Experience to Species; all Quests granted by you will require only 90% of the reward, instead of the full amount

So if I do something like King Wesley did, and give a Quest granting Experience, then instead of it needing to pull 100 Experience from a Class that isn't mastered to reward 100 Experience, it would only require me to give up 90 Experience.

I like this bonus, and I'm sure Nies is going to figure out soon that part of me doing this was for more than just calming myself and helping my anger issues, but for, well, buffing the Blessing. Of course, that came after he approached me with the quest to find myself, since I didn't really have a way to get him more followers without tipping my hand.

But he gave me the opening to, and so I seized it.

Though with my restrictions, I doubt I'll gain Experience. It doesn't affect me when I'm another person, but Nies admitted it to me before that Formshift forms act, essentially, as entirely different people.

I pay for a room at an inn, so that the three of us can sleep, and Noah leaves, saying he will probably be returning to his island, now that he's become a Chain Monk. Michael, Warren, and I make our way up to the room, and they look around.

"One bed?" Michael asks.

"What?" I look at him, then at the room. "Sorry, I forgot it's been a few years. Some habits break hard. When we first met, it was a single-bed room we were renting, with you two sleeping on the ground. I can sleep on the floor, if one of you wants the bed. If you both want beds, we can switch to a two-bed room."

"A single bed is fine," Michael says. "It'll save us money, too. Besides, it's a nice inn, and the bed can fit all three of us… if you don't mind sharing."

If I agree to sleep in the bed with them, I have no doubt in my mind that I'm going to wake up with both of them against me.

"You two can have the bed," I tell them. "I'll take the floor."

Disappointment shows on their faces. They were both hoping to cuddle against me, after being separated so long. Michael, it probably stems from his canine aspect, as they don't forget certain things, such as feelings and emotions for others. Even if we reunited after a decade, Michael would probably still react this way to me.

As for Warren, he's imprinted on me in a different way, because of my rescuing him. Even though it was in a time of need, and he's grown on his own and away from me, that imprint remains, and he remains attached.

It's dangerous to let that progress. They can sleep on the bed, and I'll sleep on the floor.

I have enough issues to deal with already.

I lie down on the floor and close my eyes, allowing myself to fall asleep. When morning comes, I find Warren snuggled up against me, and Michael lying across both of us, his left foot kicking a little bit.

I shove Michael off of me and stand, stretching as the boys wake.

"I thought I said to sleep on the bed?" I ask.

"But-!"

"No," I interrupt Michael. "I'll forgive you this time, if you and Warren agree to not come with me to Jozan."

He droops his ears, but agrees. Warren does as well, and we set out, though it takes more than an hour just to leave the town, because of all the people wanting my blessing and to know where Marty disappeared off to.

After an hour, I just get tired of it and wrap Warren, Michael, and myself in my air manipulation and fly us straight up and out, having them direct me to the Dungeon needed to get to where they are going. Michael gives me directions to reach Jozan, and we land.

"So," Michael looks at me. "I stopped in Jozan for a bit, Turas has made you out to be a villain, and the Order of the Violet Flame as evil. Even if you use Formshift to take on Marty's form again, you won't be able to do much there-"

"I'll manage," I say. "They painted me as a bad guy? I haven't even been there. It'll just be fun."

Michael stares at me for a few moments, then nods, and the two of them pass through the Dungeon. I fly away and towards another Dungeon, passing through it and into the next region, flying through there and to the Dungeon Michael directed me to.

When I leave that Dungeon, I notice a strong lack of people here. From the way things look, they left in a hurry, and not too long ago. Maybe a few days.

Flying straight up, I scan the surroundings. Damage, and far-reaching. Something powerful went on a rampage.

Nies?

He doesn't respond. Still upset with me.

Flying in the direction of the damage, I eventually spot it.

A creature standing roughly a hundred feet in height, massive, naked, and ripped with muscle. Its skin is a swirl of black and red, with twin black horns adorning its head, each one at least five feet tall on its own. Its crimson eyes glow with an unsettling light, and it burns the area with a flame of black and red. Whenever the magicians and adventurers attacking it manage to launch an attack or Group Spell, a shimmering crimson barrier forms to block the attack.

Nal'Ru'Sa Archdemon 24 Decimator (III) 17

It's free.

"Hey!" I yell as I soar forward at a higher speed than before. "Naked bozo! Why don't you just fuck off?"

The Archdemon looks at me, raising a hand, fire bursting forth. I fly up and out of the reach of the flames, sending a Spear of Frozen Lightning its way, followed by a Void, then a Blood Smite. The first crashes into its barrier, the second removes its right arm, and the third blasts a massive hole into its chest.

I follow up with two more Spears of Frozen Lightning, then an Ice Lance, before hitting it with a bolt of pure lightning.

The Archdemon roars, attempting to hit me, but neither its magic nor its remaining arm is enough. It takes me less than a minute to completely destroy the Archdemon.

New Title!

(I) Demonslayer: One who has slain many demons or a demon of high caliber, you are not a foe to be careless against

New Title!

(IV) Slayer of Archdemons: One who has single-handedly killed an Archdemon, woe unto those who make you their enemy

No 'first' on those… someone's killed an Archdemon before. Are they still alive?

The third Title I gained amuses me a little bit.

New Title!

(I) Title Hunter: One who has acquired more than ten Titles

There is a Title for that. And something tells me there are four total Titles for that. It has nothing to do with there being four Tiers to Titles…

I touch down and look at the adventurers around. A lot of them are Enforcers and Inquisitors, but most of them are just regular Adventurers, complete with obedience collars.

"Hm," I look around as they look at me. "Hi! I'm Archmage Gavin, Founder of the Order of the Violet Flame! I've heard that some pretty nasty things have been said about me and my Order, and possibly even false attacks made to sully our name! You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

The Turas-loyal adventurers attack me, but a simple flex of air stops their attacks, and then I remember that I can make magical shields.

Oh, well.

A single Firebolt Chain is all it takes to kill the loyal ones, and I look at the collared Adventurers. They flinch when I move forward, but I'm too quick for them. As soon as they realize that as soon as I touch the collar on them, it falls off, they stop trying to escape.

"I have some business to take care of elsewhere," I tell them. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be going. That said, feel free to spread the truth – the Order of the Violet Flame has not been doing whatever it is that's been said about us. In fact, we've only been here three times, and briefly. King Tyler lives, and in the next six months, he will return to reclaim his throne. Anyone loyal to Turas will be given a choice: surrender and rejoin Jozan, or lose their lives."

I turn and fly up into the sky, leaving behind a burning, violet flame in my wake. Let them know that I'm serious, as there is no ordinary magic that can create violet flames. Eventually, I'll find out why I'm special in that regard.

At least I know why Stem has blue magics… violet doesn't make any sense for me to have.

And Nies is too mad at me to talk right now. But it won't last long. He can't stay mad at me, no matter how hard he tries.